Following a horrific school shooting in Tacloban City, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri has forcefully renewed his push for tighter digital restrictions to protect children from the perils of the internet, endorsing a proposal to block minors from social media platforms.
The call for urgent legislative action comes after a tragic incident on Monday, June 22, at San Jose National High School, where two Grade 9 students—aged 14 and 15—opened fire, leaving three children dead and at least 20 others wounded.
The suspects are currently under police custody.
Zubiri emphasized that this tragedy must serve as an urgent warning regarding the destructive impact of online platforms on vulnerable youth.
“Whether a child is bullied or not, violent content, online threats, dangerous trends and hateful behavior can plant ideas in young minds and give them the confidence to act on things they should never even consider,” Zubiri said.
The veteran lawmaker threw his full weight behind the Social Media Safety for Children Act.
The proposed Senate bill aims to legally bar individuals under the age of 16 from registering for, logging into, or maintaining personal profiles on any social media network.
“Kailangan na nating bantayan nang mas maigi ang mga bata online, dahil sa edad nila, mabilis silang maimpluwensiyahan ng mga nakikita, nababasa at napapanood nila sa social media,” he continued.
The legislative push mirrors an expanding global movement to shield youth from digital harm.
Australia recently made history as the first nation to enforce a sweeping, countrywide social media ban for minors under 16, restricting access to major networks including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X, Reddit, Threads, and Snapchat.
Other nations—including the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Greece, Spain, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates—have similarly introduced or are debating rigorous age-verification rules and stricter access barriers to safeguard young users.